Death, Does Not Us Part
by loweze
Summary: A two chapter short for Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin, who never got their heroes ending; I've tried.
1. Chapter 1

"We've only got half an hour until midnight, so we need to act fast. A battle plan has been agreed between the teachers of Hogwarts and the Order of the Phoenix. Remus, Arthur and I, will take groups into the grounds."

Remus Lupin left his seat and stood. He closed his eyes briefly and inhaled deeply. He thought of his wifes face as she grinned back at him, face red and sweaty and absolutely beautiful. In her arms was his son. He sought out every inch of confidence and courage he had and let it consume him. He opened his eyes and walked with purpose through the crowded Great Hall to the end of the Gryffindor Table. He took a second to appreciate students from all three houses sitting there, side by side, united; he though Dumbledore would have been very proud. Remus was only sorry that the students from Slytherin weren't given a chance.

"Right! Listen to me now!" he bellowed as he stood at the head of the table. "Has everyone got their wands?"

There was an overall yes, with the occasional enthusiastic shouts of 'You bet ya, Professor!' or 'Lets kick some ass!'.

Remus nodded trying not to focus on their faces; they were so young. Even in the tense anticipation of the up-coming battle, he managed to hold in his mind some names of his old students.

"Okay, then I want everyone on the far side, yes, that's your side Tahlia…" he nodded to a 5th year Hufflepuff questioning his choice, as if she was surprised that he remembered her, "…from the end of the table until Seamus, and on this side from Amanda to Hannah?" He questioned and Hannah Abbott nodded, "Good… I want you to get up now and follow me. Everyone else, please wait, you will be told what to do soon." He turned to leave as the students began getting up, the chatting and panicking getting louder, but stopped suddenly and turned back to the now half empty table.

"Kids…." He started before catching himself, "Students…. you're fighting for yourself, your family and your friends…" Remus paused, unable to put in to words all the strength and support he wanted to give them… "so don't bloody well hold back!" A huge cheer erupted, and Remus guided his group of students out of the Great Hall.

He knew some of them were scared and some were ready for it. What mattered was they had stayed. They could have gone home, but here were children, teenagers, some affected terribly and unfairly by the war already, and some without a mark on their family, and here they stood side by side, waiting to 'kick some damn evil ass'. Remus couldn't help but be amazed, and his face showed it.

"We're ready for this Professor, no matter what", Natalie Richards stated, striding alongside him. He smiled across at her and tried so hard to believe, "I know."

The group pushed through the huge, heavy front doors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and stood side by side on the thick stone steps.  
"No one fights alone!" Remus called sternly "If I see **anyone** fighting one on one, it's detention from now till the end of your life! Do you hear me?!" Laughing echoed in the vast stone foyer behind them.

"All the spells you've been taught. All the defence you've mastered. This would be the time to remember! I know you'll fight your best." Remus promised trying to force his courage to pour out into his words in the hope they would feel it. "Like I told the others, this isn't class anymore, or even little attention seeking schemes in your free time, and this isn't the time to hold back! Lets show them what you've got!"

The group moved through the grounds, walking together. Some were holding hands. They had no more time. They had to be ready.

"Werewolf!"

A chill ran down Remus's back at the cruel thick voice echoing through the courtyard. He turned swiftly to face the voice. A dark, dirty face tilted and eyes sparkled with insanity and the voice growled again, sneering, "How's the wife and kids?!"

Remus's wand shot up pointing straight at the Death Eater. "Fine, Dolohov." Remus spoke strongly, not letting himself think of his family. "And yours?" he spat.  
"Having a mighty good time ridding this…educational establishment" he pushed through gritted teeth, "of filthy blood traitors and mudbloods; best to catch them while they're young," he sneered peering behind Remus at the young students.

 **"Now!"**

Masses of power blasted from the students as more Death Easters spread amongst them from nowhere. Dolohov cursed students out of his way as headed for Remus.  
"Heard the good news, werewolf" He laughed before firing a curse which missed as Remus threw up a shield before firing back. Remus's wand shot a blinding green spell at Dolohov, but he had been quick and cast back with electric blue energy that consumed Lupin's attack.

"Baby werewolf" Dolhovo scoffed, "Adriana would never let me get a pet" Dolohov yelled over the screaming of spells and cries of agony. Remus shut his mind against it. He couldn't bare it. He led them here, his students.

"Stupefy!" Remus yelled, his wand raised above his head, aimed at Dolohov, wanting to stop him for just a minute, he needed to check on the others. The spell shot towards Dolohov but collided violently with his wand instead. The spell ricocheted through the wand and up through Dolohov's arm, exploding as the magic absorbed into his chest. He flew back in the air and landed awkwardly on the grass, his head thrown back with the momentum. He didn't move, but Remus knew he wasn't dead.

Dolohov's wand raised and fired red sparks to the air in anger as he rose to his feet, his face snarling with rage and focus. Dolohov was just having fun before, Remus thought as he raised his wand and forced all of his energy through his wand and sent a wave of energy towards Dolohov, but that was over. Dolohov threw his arm up, his wand arching blocking the worst of Remus's spell and took his stance for the next bloodthirsty spell in his head;

" **Avada Kedavra!"**


	2. Chapter 2

"As long as it's not any of our lot!" said a voice: Harry turned and saw Ginny and Tonks, both with their wands drawn at the next window. Harry saw Aberforth again; "They've brought giants of their own." He managed before he sped past them.  
"Have you seen Remus?!" Tonks called after him.  
"He was duelling Dolohov," shouted Aberforth," Haven't seen him since!"  
"Tonks," said Ginny, "Tonks, I'm sure he's okay-"  
But Tonks had run off into the dust after Aberforth.

He was okay, he had to be, she promised herself, but she needed to see him. Magic flashed through the windows as she ran past them, and her speed increased with anxiety. Dolohov, Dolohov. She tried to think of him. She knew him. She'd fought him. She reached the top of the stone steps and as Aberforth left the last step, he faded into the light and spells being cast and fired around them. She stopped abruptly at the top scanning the crowd franticly. Where was he? Someone screamed and she snapped from her panic, and took off into the crowded school grounds. "Remus?!" she called, "REMUS?!"

He could hear his name, and he knew who was shouting it. No, he thought, swiping his wand around to face Dolohov again. She wasn't supposed to be here. Teddy, he thought, she was supposed to be with Teddy. "Dora?!" he called out, knowing she'd know it was him; he was the only one who called her that. "DORA!" Dolohov's wand aimed at Remus and the flash of red power and energy hit him square in the chest. Remus was blasted back, through two students. Tonks saw him fall and her breath stopped. She pushed through people, she didn't know who. Someone cast a spell at her but it narrowly missed as she fled past and it didn't even register with her. Everything had drowned out. All she could hear was Remus' heart beating in her head. All she could see was him, lying there, Dolohov moving towards him. He wouldn't touch him. "Avada Kedavra!" She screamed, not stopping as her wand tip rose to find Dolohov. The spell exploded from her wand, and the energy spread through Dolohov as he failed to block it. He yelled out and his eyes fell black, his body thrown violently through the air. As he hit the ground with force the energy, the spells and his, seeped out off him into the ground and he was dead.

Tonks found Remus and knelt beside him. She shook him. "Remus, wakeup. Remus, please it's me…Come on Remus, get up!" She held his wrist and felt his pulse. He was still with her. Remus's eyes opened slowly. "Dora…" He saw her pink hair and his focus snapped back. He held on to her to get up. "Why are you here? You should be…"  
"Stupefy!" Tonks yelled, cutting Remus off, her wand pointed over Remus's shoulder.

The Death Eater behind him fell frozen. "Come on," she held his hand and pulled him round, "we have to fight." They turned to the nearest group of students; they were holding their own pretty good. Remus saw a Death Eater appear behind Tonks and he raised his wand "Avada Kedavra!" The Death Eater fell dead. They stood back to back and helped the students with their attackers. Spell after spell shone through the air, energy shooting through the crowds of children and adults fighting, screaming, and dying. Dying.

"Dora!" Remus called over his shoulder. "Dora, we should get inside…look." Tonks finished a Death Eater, and turned to see where Remus was pointing. She saw the blood dripping from his arm, but knew it wasn't the time to say.  
"Wha…oh." A team of Death Eaters were making their way to the school doors, along the edge of the grounds, trying to hide themselves. "Come on then!" she encourage grabbing his hand and squeezing gently. Remus paused feeling all feeling within him drain and turned to face Tonks. He couldn't explain the sensation. Outside his haze someone was yelling, "Avada Kedavra!"

Tonks' eyes widened in shock and she was forced forward into Remus. Remus staggered back, but didn't let her fall. His arms tightly around her, he looked down. Her head was lying limp against his chest, her face raised to him. Her pink hair was fading. Her eyes grey.

"No." he said to himself. Time stopped. All sound around them disappeared and all he could hear was her faltering heartbeat thumping through his head. "No, it can't…" He lowered Tonks to the ground keeping her close to him, cradled in his arms. He felt her chest. It was weak but she was still breathing. "Dora" he said softly. "Dora". He shook her slightly. Nothing. "Dora, come on…you weren't supposed to be here. You were supposed to be safe at home. Now look what you've done…Dora…Tonks!" Nothing. Tears landed on Tonks' chest and Remus looked down. Nothing. She wasn't breathing. He started shouting. "Dora! DORA! Nymphadora Tonks, you get up now! Wake up! Dora!" he was shaking her violently. 'Why?!' Why wasn't she waking up?! "Why?!" Remus pulled Tonks closer, she was a part of him. He wasn't letting go. He couldn't. He could feel her leaving him. He couldn't let her. "Dora! Tonks! Don't do this! Come back! I need you to be here!" He kissed her head. "I'm sorry, Dora, I love you. Please fight with me, please." He kissed her hair, her forehead and kissed her nose, kissed her cheek, kissed her lips. Why wasn't she coming back to him? Why? She had a baby to look after. Their baby. Part of the both of them. Together, in one glorious, beautiful child. He still couldn't get his head around it. "Dora," he whispered softly. Tonks lay against him still. Not moving. Not breathing. 'Can she still love me? When she is the light around us, will she still be able to love me?' 'Yes,' her voice flowed sweetly through his head. "Always Remus."

"Don't get up wolf," Rodulphous called. It had been him, Remus realised.  
"You!" Remus raised his wand; he wasn't letting Dora go. "You bastard! You did this! To her!" He stroked Tonks' shoulder; he couldn't let go of Rodulphous's gaze.  
"Like I said…wolf" he spat "Don't get up…" His wand rose to the air and it was over. "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Remus Lupin's wand dropped, and his hand followed. His gaze held Rodulphous's, just long enough to see the bastard of a Death Eater, explode. Natalie Richards stood in his place. Her eyes found his face, his eyes, and then fell to Nymphadora Tonks. Remus Lupin fell back, still holding his love; he would never let go. Tonks's wand lay on the destroyed grass by her hand; a wand that would never be used by its chosen witch again. Remus's hand fell limp beside his wand; his wand that would never be used by its chosen wizard again.

"Protego!" was shouted and echoed through the grounds. A dome of blue, fiery energy settled around them. Natalie took one last look at the couple, lying so peacefully they could be merely sleeping. Then the blood and screams poured into the vision and a harsh, heavy, cruel reality took its place and she was forced to look away. She had no idea how long the protection would last, but she had to do it. She had to protect them. She ran off towards the doors and the Death Eaters poured in.

Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin lay wrapped in each others arms as the war raged on around them. They fought hard and passionately and now lay in peace.


End file.
